Coin-controlled apparatus.



. A 'PAIBNTBD JUNE 1903. s. WOLLHEIM.

com CONTROLLED APPARATUS.

,APPLIOATION FILBDOOT. 7. 1901.

H EET 1. V 7

I0 IODEL.

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PATENTED JUNB 2,'1903.

x No. 730,068.

S, WOLLHEIM. COIN CONTROLLED APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED 00'1.7, 1901 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 N0 MODEL.

Patented June 2, 1903'.

PATENT OFFICE.

sIcMuND WoLLuEiM, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

COlN-CONTROL.LED APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 730,068, dated June 2, 1903.

Application filed October 7, 1901. Serial No. 77,774. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SIGMUND WOLLHEIM, residing at Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Article- Delivery Coin-Controlled Apparatus,of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which are a part of this specification.

My invention has relation to improvements in article-delivery coin-controlled apparatus.

The primary object had in View is to provide a coin-controlled apparatus for delivering articles of such simple construction as to render the device capable of being placed on the market at a minimum of cost.

' With the above primary object and other incidental objects in view the invention consists of the devices and parts or their equivalents, as hereinafter set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is afront elevation of one form of the invention. Fig. 2 is a central transverse vertical section of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a view of the lower portion with the frame in section. Fig. 5 is a detail of the coin holding and releasing mechanism. Fig. 6 is an end elevation of a modified form of construction. Fig. 7 is a view of another modified form of construction, showing parts broken away. Fig. 8 is a section on the line 8 8 of Fig. 7, and Fig. 9 is an end elevation of the lower portion of still another modified form of construction.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 10 throughout the several figures indicates the casing of the machine, which may be of the form shown or of any other desirable form suitable for inclosin g the interior parts. Projecting from a medial point of the front of the casing is a delivery-spout 11, the opening of said spout pointing downwardly. Within the interior of the casing are side ledges 12 12, which project inwardly for a desired distance from medial points of the side pieces of said casing. These ledges are adapted to support the cakes of chocolate 13 or other articles to be delivered,said articles being superimposed one above the other and extending upwardly in the upper portion of the casing.

The coin-holding mechanism is similar shown in Fig. 5.

throughout all the different forms of the device illustrated in the drawings and consists of transverse back and front pieces 14 and 15, respectively, with a space therebetween to form a pocket, and which pocket is of suiiicient width to readily admit a coin therein. The front piece is joined to the back piece preferably by bending rearwardly the side edges of said front piece and connecting said edges to the back piece, as most clearly Thereis an opening 16 at the bottom of the pocket, so as to permit the coin to drop out of said pocket at the proper time. This coin-holding mechanism is normally in a position to the rear of the lower cake of chocolate or. other article to be delivered, as clearly shown in the drawings.

The means for retaining the coin in the pocket and for subsequently releasing the same therefrom is similar throughout the several forms of the invention illustrated, and consists of a spring-plate 17, secured to the back plate 14.- of the pocket and provided with a forwardlyprojectingfinger 18, which passes through a slot 19 in the back piece. This finger is provided with a lateral inwardly extending lug 18, which extends across the bottom opening of the pocket. This lug when the coin is deposited in the pocket serves to normally hold said coin there- 1n. pocket with its contained coin forwardly and after the article has been delivered for returning said pocket to its normal position. Whenthe pocket thus moves forwardly, the portion of the coin which projects above the pocket engages the lowest cake of chocolate or other article to be delivered and carries the same forwardly therewith and pushes said article through the opening 20 at the inner side of the delivery-spout 11 and into said spout, the said article finally dropping out through the open bottom of the spout. The inner opening 20 of the spout is preferably normally closed by the depending hinged lid 21, which when the article is pushed thereagainst is adapted to open outwardly and af ter the article has been delivered out ofv the spout is adapted by meansof spring-pressure thereagainst to close the opening. Afterthe coin-holding mechanism has thus traveled, as described, far enough to cause the coin to Means are provided for moving the push the article into the spoutthe projecting end of the finger 18 will contact with the inner side of the front piece of the casing, and with the continued forward movement of the coin-holding mechanism said finger will be pushed rearwardly through the slot 19, and thus bring the lug 18 rearwardly, and hence as there is no longer any retaining means for the coin said coin drops downwardly into the bottom of the casing. Other means now come into play which cause the coin-holding mechanism to swing back to its normal position, and in so swinging rearwardly the end of the finger 18 is brought out of contact with the inner side of the front piece of the easing, and hence said finger flies back to its normal position, in which the lug 18' thereof intersects the open bottom of the pocket. It will be understood that the side ledges 12 12 do not project far enough inwardly to prevent the forward and rearward movement of the coin-holding mechanism. It will also be evident that on the rearward movement of the coin-holding mechanism inasmuch as the coin is no longerin the pocket the lower cake of chocolate or other article supported on the ledges and which drops down to the ledges when the other article was delivered oifers no impediment to the free movement of said coinholding mechanism, inasmuch as said coinholding mechanism is below the plane of the under side of the supported article.

On Sheet 1 of the drawings I show one form of mechanism for forcing the coin-holding mechanism forwardly and rearwardly. This consists in pivoting the back piece at its two opposite edges to the side pieces of the easing, as indicated by the numerals 22 22. To a medial point of the lower edge of the back piece is connected a pusher-rod 23. This rod extends freely through an opening therefor in the front of the casing and is provided on its outer end with an enlargement or head to form a convenient means for pressing thereagainst. It is obvious that when this red is pushed inwardly the coin-holding mechanism is swung forwardly in the manner hereinbe fore pointed out, and the portion of the coin which projects above the pocket engages the cake of chocolate or other article and pushes the same forwardly. In order to return the coin-holding mechanism to normal position after pressure on the rod is removed, I provide a coiled spring 21, having one end connected to the back plate 14 and its opposite end connected to the back piece of the cas ing. When the coixrholding mechanism is swung forwardly, this spring is necessarily expanded, and when pressure on the pusherrod is removed the spring recoils and of course thereby carries the coin-holding mechanism rearwardly to normal position;

The form of construction shown in Fig. (3 differs from that shown on Sheet 1 of the drawings in the omission of the pusher-rod 23 and the substitution therefor of a finger 25, which projects from one edge of the back piece 14- and, near the upper end thereof, through a segmental slot 26 in the side of the casing, being preferably provided on its outer end with an enlargement or head for convenience in grasping the same. In this form of construction in order to throw the coin-holding mechanism forwardly all that is necessary to be done is simply to grasp the head of the finger and pull said finger forwardly in the slot. When the finger is released, a coiled spring similar to the spring 2% acts to return the coin-holding mechanism to normal position.

In the form of construction illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8 the means for throwing the coinholding mechanism forwardly consists of a bent wire 27, which extends across the front of the casing and is provided medially with an outwardly-extending loop 28, which forms a convenient handle therefor. This wire is bent rearwardly on the outer sides of the side pieces of the casing and parallel with said side pieces and is then bent inwardly at right angles and through openings in the side pieces. These inwardly-bent portions form pivots 29 29 for the turning of the wire in the openings referred to. The wire from the inner ends of these inwardlyextending pivots is bent upwardly at a rear incline to form two legs 30 30, the upper extremities thereof lying back of the back piece 14: of the coinholding mechanism. It is obvious that when the portion of the wire extending across the front of the casing is turned downwardly the legs 30 will be thrust against the back of the coin-holding mechanism,and said mechanism will thereby be thrust forwardly. In this form of my invention it is not necessary that the back piece 14c of the coin-holding mechanism be extended downwardly, as in the other forms of construction, but may be merely of the same width as the front piece 15. The means for returning the coin-holding mechanism back to its normal rear position in this modified form of construction consists of two coiled springs 31 31, which encircle rods 32 32. These rods extend transversely of the interior of the casing, and their rear ends pass freely through openings in the coin-holding mechanism. Under this construction when the coin-holding mechanism is pushed forwardly it moves on the rods 32 and compresses the springs 31. The moment down pressure on the wire 27 is removed the springs recoil,and this action slides the coin-holding mechanism rearwardly to normal position. If preferred, in this form of construction the outer extremities of the back piece of the coin holding mechanism may be provided with forwardlyextending guide-pieces 33 33, which work be neath the ledges 12 and prevent any tendency of the coin-holding mechanism being bent rearwardly when the coin carried thereby comes into contact with the cake of chocolate or other article.

In the Fig. 9 form of construction instead of having the coin-holding mechanism on the rods 31 31 I provide rods 34 3a, which are secured rigidly at their rear ends to the coinholding mechanism, and their front ends pass freely through openings in the front of the casing and registering openings in the front of the delivery-spout. On the outside of the delivery-spout they are connected by a transverse connecting-piece 35, and to a medial point of this connecting-piece ispivoted a ring 36. Coiled springs similar to the springs 31 surround the rods 34 and are confined between the front piece of the coin-holding mechanism and the inner side of the front of the casing. In operating this form of construction the ring is grasped, and by pulling outwardly thereon the rods 34 are pulled forwardly against the action of the springs, and as the coin-holding mechanism is rigidly secured to the rear ends of the rods said coin-holding mechanism is necessarily pulled forwardly with the rods. When the ring 36 is released, the coin-holding mechanism and the rods are forced rearwardly to normal position by the expansion of the springs.

In all of the forms of construction the coin is introduced into the machine through a coinpassage 37, which is arranged vertically in the rear portion of the machine, with its upper receiving end opening through the top of the casing. The lower open end of this passage is just above the pocket of the coin-holding mechanism, so that a coin deposited in the passage will be received in the pocket.

In the Sheet 1 form of construction a projecting lug 38 acts to contact with the rear side of the casing when the coin-holding mechanism is forced rearwardly and is of such length as to properly position the mouth of the pocket of the coin-holding mechanism immediately below the lower open end of the coin-passage. A similar stop-lug may be employed in the Figs. 6 and 9 forms of construction, while in the Figs. 7 and 8 form of construction the rear ends of the rods 32 project rearwardly a sufficient distance beyond the back piece of the coin-holding mechanism to effect the function described.

If desired, the front of the casing may be provided with a glass-covered opening 39, so that the contents of the casing may be seen from the outside.

From the foregoing'description it will be seen that I provide a most simple construction of coin-controlled apparatus, and hence one which can be manufactured at a minimum of expense, as the casing may be of some very cheap material-such,for instance, as tin-and all of the interior parts of such nature that they may also be made of very cheap material.

My device is primarily intended more in the nature of a toy for children and as a means for inducing them to accumulate pennies.

which they would otherwise spend for candy, the parent from time to time placing a number of cakes of chocolate in the casing, so that the child may deposit a penny in the coin-.

passage, and thereby secure the article, while the casing. The invention is not, however, restricted to this adaptation, as it is obvious that it may be manufactured in large size for use inside or outside of stores.

What I claim as my invention'is- 1. In a coin-controlled apparatus, the combination of a casing having a coin-passage, and provided interiorly with a supporting medium for supporting one abovethe other, in a chamber therefor in the casing, the articles to be delivered, and said casing having a discharge opening at one side, movable coinholding mechanism supported within the easing below the articles to be delivered, and provided with a pocket for receiving the coin, the bottom of said pocket being open, and said pocket being normally in alinement with the coin-passage,and the coin contained therein projecting beyond the edge of the pocket,

a spring-plate secured to the back piece of adapted normally to support the coinin said pocket, means for moving the coin-holding mechanism toward the discharge-opening so as to cause the projecting portion of the coin to engage the article to be delivered and carry said article ofi its supporting medium and through the discharge-opening, the projecting spring-finger, after the coin-holding mechanism is moved the required distance to thrust the article through the dischargeopening, adapted by contact to be moved backward'in its slot in order to cause the portion of said finger which intersects the'open bottom of the coin-pocket to remove its support from the coin and permit said coin to be deposited in the casing, and means, after the coin is released, for returning the coin-holding mechanism to normal'position.

2. In a coin-controlled apparatus, the combination of a casing having a coin-passage and provided interiorly with a supporting medium for supporting one above the other, in a chamber therefor in the casing, the articles to be delivered, and'said casin'galso having a discharge-opening at one side, movable coin-holdin g mechanism supported within the casing below the articles to be delivered and provided with an open-bottom pocket which is normally in line with the coin-passage, a spring-arm secured at one end to the'back of the coin-pocket and having its free end bent forwardly at an angle to form a finger projecting in a plane transverse to the open bottom of the pocket, and adapted normally to support'the coin in the pocket so that a por-- tion of said coin will project above the top of the pocket in line to contactwith the articleto be delivered and carry said article off its supporting medium and through the discharge opening, a fixed part with which th' fi & 730,068

is adapted to contact, after the coin-holdmal coin-supporting position after a coin is ing mechanism has been moved the required released thereby, and means, after the coin distance to thrust the article through the disis released, for returning said coin-holding charge-opening, the said finger by such conmechanism to normal position. I 5

5 tact adapted to be moved rearwardly against In testimony whereof I affix my signature the contrary force exerted by the spring-arm in presence of two witnesses. of which said finger forms a part, and thereby a remove the support of the finger from the bIGMUND WOLLHEIM' coin and permit said coin to be deposited in WVitnesses:

ID the casing, the contrary spring action of the A. L. MORSELL,

arm causing the finger to return to its nor- ANNA V. FAUST. 

